As demand for telecommunications increases, optical fiber services are being extended in more and more areas. To more efficiently extend the fiber optic service into areas where current and future customers are located, often distribution cables with more then one optical fiber are utilized. To provide service to a particular premises in the area, the distribution cables may be received within a fiber access terminal. Such terminals provide a location in the field where one or more optical fibers of the distribution cable may be split out from the distribution cable. The remainder of the fibers within the distribution cable may then be expressed through the fiber access terminal to extend to another location where service is desired.
Within the fiber access terminal, a variety of fiber terminations and equipment is located. Typically, a base of the fiber access terminal is buried in the ground, and an upper portion of the fiber access terminal is positioned above the ground. There is a need to protect the fiber terminations and equipment within the fiber access terminal from contaminants, such as weather, water, debris, and animals.